When the air is warm and dry, transpiration and evaporation also suck water out of the plants and soil. That leaves dry vegetation that can provide fuel for flying embers to spread wildfires, as the Los Angeles area saw in early January.

The Los Angles Police Department said "a male was heard stating a suspect was 'attempting to light a fire'" near the Kenneth Fire.

Thousands of firefighters are battling at least five sprawling wildfires spread around the Los Angeles area, as well as several smaller blazes. Thousands of structures have been damaged or destroyed and more than 100,

Multiple major fires are tearing through parts of the Los Angeles area, with 5 dead and a thousand structures destroyed.